The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-06-09
What Prominent Hshfladelphian
Thinks of Middle Florida.

DIR. Arthur 1. Person, pastor OF the Bethany
Church, (the largest IN Philadelphia, and built
by John Wanamaker, with Sunday school Of
5000, recently visited Leon county and thus
writes his impressions to the Ecening CAL, of
Philadelphia:
do not imagine that many Philadelphians
know what q beautiful country there is amid
the plantations of Middle Florida The spot
where am writing is in Leon county, about
seven miles north of Tallahassee, the beautiful
Floridian capital. The only hilly section l have
seen from Pensacola westward is this belt of
country running from Townsville (Ga.) south
to the Gulf
We are guests of Professor Edward Warren
Clark, who met US at Tallahassee and drove US
out here, after dining at the new Leon Hotel. as
invited guests of its genial proprietor, Mr.. Ogles
by. Lake jackson is an irregular sheet of W ater,
curvng about among these hills, and about six
teen miles long. Mr.. Clark has 1000 acres under
cultivation, and about fifty families of cOlOred
people working this large farm. The ridge OF
hills on which his cottages are located is about
300 feet above the lake, and the ground slopes
gently to the waters edge.
The whole situation is picturesque. Fig trees,
orange groves, tropical flora of various kinds,
adorn the hills and glades, and the lake abounds
in fine fish, with immense alligators for those
who admire these giant reptiles. You may go in
swimming and have them for company The
cottages are built Of Southern pine, and are
celed and finished in wood without plaster
The country reminds me of the most picturesque
spots in New England.
Nothing is needed to enhance the value of this
locality and make it one of the favorite summer
resorts" of Florida in the winter season but a
railway from Townsville to Tallahassee. This
would bring it 10 the notice of the travelling
public and make it accessible from all quarters
1t would be no surprise 10 see this at no distant
day the scene Of Sunday school encampments
during winter months or the place of a santa
rium 1 hdce seen no timer spot in all Florida.
These high hills, this romantic grouping of
groves and glades, this exquisite lake, with its
abundant supply of fish, this arabic land, capable
of being cultivated to almost any extent, and
made vast garden of fruits and fowers-all
these attractions only wait for easy communica-
ton to be appreciated by invalds, pleasure
seekers and lovers OF the beautiful
Prof. Clark himself is an interesting man. He
spent some years in Japan in the employ of the
Government, and calls this place after his resi-
dence in the Island Empire, .Shidzuokn, or Hill
OF Peace. Many relics OF his japanese life lie in
these apartments or hang on the walls. And
what especially interested me, the edict board
against Christianity, the only one ever brought
from Japan, is among the curiOsities. Ii is
rough, plain board, about two feet by one, shaped
like the gable OF a low house, bearing in Japa-
nese this inscription: THE Evil Sect. called
Christian. is strictly prohibited All who en-
brace it shall be reported to the authorities, and
rewards shall be given" The original procla-
nation. of which this edct is only brief ex-
tract, was to the effect that III any Christian or
even the God of the Christians should set foot
on the islands he should pay the penalty with
the loss of his own head"
Yet where these edict boards once stood open-
air services are now to be held and without dis
lurbance or molestatien.
ARTHUR T. PIERsON